Sports Extra

HOOVER, Ala. – Nikita Kotlov scored off a header pass from Eriq Zavaleta midway through the second half to give Indiana a 1-0 victory over Georgetown on Sunday to win the NCAA men’s soccer championship.

It is the eighth Division I soccer championship for the Hoosiers (16-5-3), their first since 2004.

Indiana midfielder Patrick Doody lofted a crossing pass to the right of the goal that brought Georgetown goalkeeper Tomas Gomez out from the net.

Zavaleta got to the ball before the Hoyas’ Jimmy Nealis, sending a header to Kotlov that he easily kicked into the open net.

The best scoring opportunity for Georgetown (19-4-3) came in the first half when Tyler Rudy sent a straight-on shot that diving Indiana goalkeeper Luis Soffner barely stopped with his fingertips.

It was the third consecutive 1-0 victory for the Hoosiers. Indiana allowed a total of two goals in its five NCAA tournament games.

Messi breaks 40-year-old record with 86th goal

BARCELONA, Spain – Lionel Messi broke German great Gerd Mueller’s 40-year-old record for most goals in a year by scoring for the 86th time in 2012 on Sunday.

The Argentina forward scored twice to lead Barcelona to a 2-1 win at Real Betis in the Spanish league match.

His first was an individual effort in the 16th minute to equal Mueller’s mark, and he eclipsed the 1972 milestone with a familiar left-footed finish nine minutes later. Messi has scored 74 goals for Barcelona and 12 times for Argentina this year, and he has three more games in which he can add to his tally.

Mueller scored 85 for Bayern Munich and West Germany.

The 25-year-old Messi passed Brazil great Pele’s single-season milestone of 75 goals for Brazil and Santos in 1958 with his 75th and 76th goals of the year on Nov. 11 to move into second place behind Mueller.

Hirscher, who was third in Saturday’s slalom, secured his first win of the season, his third consecutive podium spot and fifth so far.

“I heard a lot of questions recently, like ‘What’s going on, you’re only second?”’ Hirscher said. “Whoa, I thought second was OK. But now I guess those questions are over. “

He finished 1.16 seconds ahead of Germany’s Stefan Luitz, with American Ted Ligety climbing up from sixth to finish 1.42 behind in third place on the Stade Olympique de Bellevarde course.

Pinturault was left just as stunned as the home fans by his error as he caught an inside ski and put his hand down with the finish line in sight.

Slovenia’s Maze extends GS lead; Vonn finishes 27th

MORITZ, Switzerland – Tina Maze of Slovenia won her third consecutive World Cup giant slalom Sunday to extend her lead in the overall standings, and defending champion Lindsey Vonn placed 27th after almost crashing.

Maze held her morning lead to finish 0.08 seconds ahead of Viktoria Rebensburg, the Olympic champion from Germany, in a total time of 2 minutes, 11.07 seconds. Tessa Worley of France was third, trailing Maze by 0.55.

Vonn hit trouble midway down her second run after her skis appeared to touch. The American racer came out of rough, course-side snow to complete the race nearly six seconds slower than Maze and score four valuable World Cup points.

“That’s why I kept fighting to the end,” said Vonn, who lost the overall title by just three points to Maria Hoefl-Riesch in 2011.

The win gave Maze 100 points and she now leads by 234 from Germany’s Hoefl-Riesch, who placed ninth. Vonn is third, 263 behind Maze.